new poll numbers show mitt romney continuing to close the gap. in florida, he now leads the president 51-44. and a new national gallup poll is ahead 49-47. >> reporter: paul ryan tailgated with football fans in ohio. mitt romney rallied supporters. the republican team fanned out across the key battleground state saturday. >> we need ohio. if we get ohio, we're gonna be able to take back america? >> reporter: the stakes are high. no republican has won the white house without a victory in ohio. at a rally in portsmouth, romney told the crowd he sees the enthusiasm going. >> when i'm president, i'm going to help save the american family and get good jobs for every american. >> reporter: voters say the economy is the no. 1 issue in this election. >> i bet on american workers and american ingenuity, and three years later, that is paying off in a big way. >> reporter: president obama argues his decision to bail out the auto industry saved jobs. >> gm is back. ford and chrysler are growing again. together, our auto industry has created nearly a quarter